Mail-box.



S. PTAK & A. SADLIK.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.4. 1915.

1,144,566. Patented June 29, 1915.

Fig. L

MAW/3 THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

QFFKE ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1915.

Application filed January 4, 1915. Serial No. 325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, STANISLAW PTAK and ALoIs SADLImsubjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Kewanee, in the county of Henry and State of Illi- 1101s, have invented certain new and use-' ful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mail boxes.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a mail box having the smallest possible number of parts, although adapted to protect the mail matter from any unauthorized removal, such construction being easy and cheap to manufacture.

A further object is to provide a mail box having a combined mail slide and slot protector which is shiftably positioned through the mail entrance slot of the box, and although normally closing the slot may be readily moved for conducting mail matter therethrough and into the protected deposit chamber of the box.

With these general objects in View and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like-designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the mail box. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, the casing being partially shown in vertical transverse section and with the device closed. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through a portion of the box, the elements being shown in their mail-receiving position, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal transverse sectional view through the forward portion of the box and with the slide partly broken away.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention herem contemplates the provision of a mail box or receptacle 10 of substantially the usual form having a curved top 11 and a hinged side door 12 positioned adjacent the bottom of the box for allowing the removal of the mail upon disengaging the lock 13.

The mail box is provided with an entrance slot 14 in the front wall 15 thereof and the protecting bead or strip 16 projects overthe outer surface of said front wall slightly above the slot 14. A mail slide 17 is shiftably positioned through the slot 14L and has a row of spaced fingers 18 upon its inner edge, while a plate 19 is obliquely secured to the outer edge of the siide which is adapted for flatly engaging the front wall 15 and completely closing the entrance slot when the slide is inoperativeiy positioned. Oppositely projecting pins 20 are carried by the slide 17 within the box which prevent the complete withdrawalof the slide through the slot. The plate 19 has an outwardly projecting central handle 21 whereby the slide may be projected through the slot from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that illustrated in Fig. 3, and in which latter position it will be evident that a letter such as 22 may be flatly positioned upon the slide 17 inwardly of the angular projecting upper portion of the plate 19 so that when the slide is pushed inwardly and downwardly until it rests in its normal oblique position upon the opposite lugs 23 of the casing, the mail matter will be precipitated over the slide and will fall into the deposit receptacle within the lower portion of the box.

A guard plate 24 is obliquely secured within thebox at the upper rear angle 25 thereof and is provided with spaced fingers 26 at its lower free edge adapted for slidably meshing with the fingers 18 of the slide during the inward movement of the latter, it being noted that the free ends of the slide and guard fingers are positioned substantially upon the central vertical axis of the box when the slide is in its closed position as best illustrated in Fig. 2, at which time also the plate 19 is in its closed engagement over the entrance slot and in contact with the lower face of the protecting bead 16.

From this detailed description of the de vice, it will be seen that when the box is closed as shown in Fig. 2, it will be impossible to open the same by means of the slide to such an extent that the hand can be inserted for the unauthorized removal of mail matter within the box as the withdrawal of the slide requires the passing of the slide fingers 18 through the fingers of the guard 24:. en a letter is placed upon the open slide and the slide is pushed into the box, the letter falling into the receptacle will be prevented from removal except byopeningi the door 12 as the guard and slide fingers are positioned above the receiving chamber for the mail matter.

While the form of the shown and described is what is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. 7

What is claimed as new is:

1. A mail box provided with an entrance slot in one wall thereof, a projecting bead positioned thereabove, a fingered guard inwardly inclined and secured within the box,

a shiftable slide positioned through said slot and having spaced fingers upon its inner edge, and a slot closing plate angularly secured to the outer end of the said slide. a

2. In combination with a mail box provided with an entrance slot in the front wall thereof, a projecting bead secured to said wall above the said slot, an oblique inwardly projecting guard secured within said box at the upper rear angle thereof, and terminating in spaced fingers at its free edge, inwardly projecting opposite oblique lugs carried by the end walls of the box, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for invention herein slide shiftably ositionedihieugn the said slot and having spaced fingersupon its inner free edge, projecting stop pins atthe opposite edges of'the said slide within said box, a slot closure plate obliquely secured to the outer end of the saidslide, and positioned in flat engagement with the front:

wall of the box beneath thesaid bead and overlying the said slot when the slide is normally positioned in flat engagement with the said lugs and an operating handle secured to the said plate. 1 v V 3. In a mail box having an entrance slot, a normally positioned combined mail slide and slot closure member projecting obliquely inwardly of the box through the said slot thereof, an inclined guard within the said box positioned within the path of movement of the said member, theinner ends of the said guard and slide member being normally positioned upon substantially the central vertical axis of the box.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

STANISLAW PTAK. 'ALOIS SADLIK.

Witnesses:

JAN PYRKA, J osnr PIEKIELKO. 

